Fighting Through It
by RainyDayz
Summary: When their father dies, two brothers have a difficult time dealing with their emotions. Sometimes it's easier to take it out on someone else...Completed.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note : Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read this story. This is my first Scrubs fan fiction, but I'm certainly not a stranger to the show or fan fiction itself. Please enjoy and, if you have the time, drop a review to let me know what you think.

Your humble author  
-- RainyDayz

Disclaimer: I do not own Scrubs or any merchandise, music, actors, etc. associated with it.

Fighting Through It

JD walked out the automatic doors of Sacred Heart, the backpack on his shoulder heavier than normal. His brother strode beside him, snapping his gum loudly, head bent, hands in pockets.

Their father had passed away no more than ten days ago and he had been staying with JD through the funeral preparations and aftermath.

"You know, little bro… Dad was always proud you became a doctor." His voice held an odd tone in it.

JD nodded quietly, "I know he was, Dan."

"Yea?"

He looked up. "Yea. Why?"

Dan shrugged as they walked through the parking lot. "You just never seemed to notice."

"I noticed, Dan."

"Mm."

They stopped at JD's car as he searched through his backpack for the keys. Dan leaned against the side of the car and kicked the tire with his heel.

"You know, a few weeks before he died, he said I should be more like you." He stared at the ground as he said it, eyes dark with emotion.

JD stopped, his keys hovering just before the car door. "What?"

"Yep. That's what he said."

"Dan…"

"I laughed at him, though. I thought that was the dumbest thing he'd ever said."

"What are you trying to say?"

Dan straightened and turned around to face his brother. They stared at each other over the roof of the car.

"Did you care about dad?""

JD's eyebrows furrowed, "That's a stupid question. Of course I did."

"Really? 'Cause you had a funny way of showing it. If someone had asked me if I thought you cared, I would have said no."

"What the hell are you talking about? You have no right - You have no idea --"

"Oh, come on, JD. You can't tell me you didn't think you were better than him."

"Shut up! You never even talked to him. You never called him, you never visited."

Their voices rose and people walking by murmured as they passed. They were face to face now, standing in front of the car, inches away from each other.

"And you? You kept in touch? You do think you're better, don't you? You're the one dad always looked out for. He tried to give you everything and all you ever did was look down on him!"

JD's eyes watered and he clenched his fists at his sides. "I cared. How was I supposed to show it? He wouldn't let me. Do you even remember the last time he let either one of us hug him? He wouldn't even shake my hand!"

"Why do you think that was, JD? Didn't you think for one second that it made him feel ashamed of himself to stand next to you?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Dan. You bartend and you use people. Jeez, the only reason you even came was because you knew I'd let you crash at my apartment."

"You have no idea what you sound like, do you? You're such a selfish kid."

"I cared more about dad than you, you self-serving jack --"

He landed on his back on the asphalt. He reached up to touch his split lip, pulling back his hand to look at the crimson spots. He stood slowly, ignoring the onlookers who had stopped to watch.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he tackling Dan to the ground. He punched him in the face, bloodying his older brother's nose before he was thrown back and pinned, a sharp pain blossoming across his cheekbone as Dan took a swing at him.

They wrestled briefly, a few grunts and curses making their way to the crowd that had now formed around them.

"Get off me!"

"You get off me!"

As quickly as it had started, it ended as JD felt a hand grasp the back of his shirt and yank him up. Dan was similarly being held back, but despite the restraining tug, both brothers continued to lunge at each other, fists flying.

"Newbie! _Newbie!_ _JD!_"

He froze, turning to see who was holding him back. 'Uh oh…'

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Dr. Cox held a fistful of his protégé's shirt, his face a mass of red fury as he looked from JD to Dan.. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Why don't you ask 'Dr. Dorian' ?" Dan mocked, wiping the blood from his nose.

"Why don't you shut your mouth?" JD snapped back.

"Both of you knock it off!" The brothers flinched as Dr. Cox shook JD by his shirt collar.

"Ow."

"It serves you right, Nancy. Now you come with me and you," he said pointing to Dan, "go home."

The crowd dispersed as JD followed Dr. Cox back into the hospital and into an empty patient's room.

Dr. Cox crossed his arms and stared at him for a moment. JD kept his eyes on the floor, but was startled into looking up at the older man's sharp whistle.

"Look at you, you pansy." Dr. Cox looked over his face with a critical eye but his voice was unusually soft.

A thin line of blood started at the young resident's lip and ended at his chin. A large blue and purple bruise was forming on his right cheekbone.

JD winced as his mentor grabbed him by the chin and shined a light into his eyes. "Don't blink, stupid."

He stared into the small flashlight until Dr. Cox let him go.

"Unfortunately, you don't have a concussion."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're lucky I came out there when I did, Newbie. You were getting your butt handed to you."

JD rolled his eyes, "I was beating him and you know it." He turned to go but paused in the doorway.

"Do you…Do you think my dad knew I loved him?"

There was a long stretch of silence before Dr. Cox stepped up beside him and leaned against the door frame.

"Newbie, whether you like it or not, when you care about someone, you make it painfully obvious. And annoying. Ask anybody in this hospital. Now go home."

He felt a pat on his shoulder before the older man exited the room and walked down the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

When JD opened the door to his apartment, he didn't see his brother anywhere. He made his way to the bathroom, carefully poking at his aching face.

As soon as he walked in, Dan jumped out from behind the shower curtain.

"Hey, hey little brother!"

JD shouted in surprise and sprang backward. "What's the matter with you!"

"No, no, no! What's right with me! We're going out for a beer, c'mon."

"Dan, I'm really not in the m--"

But his brother was already out the door and humming "100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall."

When they got to the bar and ordered, Dan finally turned to JD and sighed.

"You know everything I said was bull, right?"

JD scoffed and tipped back his bottle.

"No, I'm serious, Johnny. Dad knew you cared, that's why he wanted me to be more like you. I was just being a jerk 'cause I didn't want to, you know…be me."

"Listen, Dan --"

"No, hear me out, lil' bro. I envy you. You've got good friends and a good job and people like you."

"People like you, Dan."

"Only the people I give free beer to."

"Who doesn't like free beer?"

"True…"

They sat in comfortable silence, drinking a few more bottles before paying and heading for the door.

Turk and Carla walked in as they were pulling on their coats.

"Hey guys -- Whoa! What happened to you two?"

JD and Dan exchanged a look. "Us?" Dan asked. JD grinned. "You should see the other guys."

Turk shook his head. "'You want a beer? It's on me."

"Nah, we're good. I think it's time for us to go home and call our mom, anyways."

Carla nodded understandingly. "How are you guys holding up? I know it must be hard on you."

Dan punched JD in the arm and was promptly hit back. "You know," JD shrugged.

"We're fighting through it."

Dan rolled his eyes, "Last one to the apartment gets to tell Ma why we didn't stop by at grandma's after you got off work today."

"Hey!"

Turk watched them run out the door. He put his arm around Carla. "I think they're gonna pull through."

End


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